Dough preparing machine



July 12, 1938. K. D. LOOSE ETAL 2,123,703

DOUGH PREPARING MACHINE original Filled oct. 2, 193s e sheets-sheet 1 I l l INVENTORS KENNETH D. Loose,

July 12, K D. LOOSE ET AL l DOUGH PREPARING MACHINE 6 Sheets-sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 2, 1955 ma ..w

July 12, 1938. K. D. Loose ET AL 2,123,703

oUGH PREPAING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 2, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 12, 1938- K. D. LoosE ET Al. 2,123,703

l DOUGH PREPARING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 2. 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 '0\- I r `c c" ,..C-Jv s vk u .I i

lq N in S N m vENToRs Aff/VNETH o 1.0055,

ATTORNEYS.

July 12, 1938. K. D. LOOSE ET Al.

DOUGH PREPARING MACHINEy Original'Filed Oct. 2, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 12, 1938. K, D] LOOSE ET'AL 2,123,703

DOUGH PREPARING MACHINE original Filed oct. 2, 19:55 e sheets-sheet e Patented July 12, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOUGH PREPARING MACHINE York original application october 2, 1935, serial No. 43,246. Divided and -this application March 1, 1937, serial No. 123,439

4 Claims.

This invention relates to machinery for use in bakeries, and in particular, to machines used in the preparation of dough prior to the baking operations.

One object of this invention is to provide a machine for combining dough with certain ingredients, known as enrichments, to form a laminated product, in sheet form, consisting of a plurality of layers of dough and enrichments.

Another object is to provide devices for sealing the edges of the laminated dough sheet prior to the lapping operations.

Another object is to provide a dough preparing machine having dough holders and an enrichment material holder together with an auxiliary conveyer for depositing the enrichment material upon the dough layers as they are moved along by a main conveyor. v

Another object is to provide a dough preparing machine as immediately described above wherein the auxiliary conveyor moves in a direction parallel with the main conveyor.

This application is a division of our co-pending application, Serial No. 43,246, filed October 2,

1935, which has matured into United States Patent No. 2,076,657, dated April 13, 1937.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation lof. the laminating section of the machine, together with the first lapping section thereof.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1, but looking from the opposite side thereof. l

Figure- 3 is a horizontal section through the hopper feed rollers, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the machine.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation, partly broken away, of a portion of the laminating section of the machine.

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation, partly broken away, of the rst transfer conveyor of the machine. y

Figure 7 is a vertical section through the laminating part of the machine shown in Figure 5, taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 4,

Figure 8 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section through the first transfer conveyor of the machine.

' General construction In general, the machine of this invention comprises a series of hoppers arranged in sequence and adapted to deposit dough and enriching materials upon a moving conveyor, thereby producing a long strip or sheet of dough in laminated form, and having alternate layers of dough and enrichment. 'I'he laminated sheet thus formed is ,fed between rollers with beveled edges in such a manner as to cause the edges of the dough sheet to be sealed, thereby preventing the escape of the enrichment materials. The dough sheet is further fed into other apparatus in which further operations are carried out which are beyond the scope of the present invention.

The machine of this invention produces a laminated dough which may be used for a large variety of products, such as crackers, cookies and various types of wafers or biscuits. The purpose of the lamination is to distribute theenrichment materials throughout the dough without requiring the undue working or mixing of the dough, such operations detracting from the quality of the baked product obtained from said dough.

. Hitherto, in producing baked articles of the type produced by the presentmachine, the dough and enrichment materials were prepared in batches and mixed together, either in mixing machines or by hand. The enrichment materials may be of a variety of kinds, such as fats, cheese, flavoring materials, or other materials of a different character than the dough. lBy the present invention this mixing and repeated working of the dough are avoided, a superior effect being obtained by the lamination of the dough with By this arrangement it is possible to employ a series of doughs having different characteristics. For example, the outer layers of dough may have firm characteristics, whereas the middle layer of dough may be too rich to form into an ordinary sheet of dough. By thus placing the rich layer between the outer layers the richv layer is given the necessary support, and with the layers of enriching materials enables a superior product to be made than could be prepared'by the ordinary processes and apparatus. The number of times the sheet is overlapped by the lapping device can be regulated by varying the relative speeds of the lapping device and the conveyor upon -than the prior art mixing methods and apparatus produce.

. Laminating mechanism The laminating portion of the machine is shown at the right-hand side of Figure l, and comprises vertical frame members interconnected by longitudinal top and bottom frame lmembers 2 and 3, connected by suitable cross members. In the framework thus formed is mounted an alternate series of dough hoppers 4 and enrichment hoppers 5. In the embodiment of the invention shown and described there are three dough hoppers 4 and two enrichment hoppers 5 arranged between the dough hoppers. Mounted upon the lower frame members 3, as by the supports 8 and 1, are shafts 8 and 9 carrying sprockets III and (Figures 1 and 5) upon which an endless enrichment conveyor I2 operates.

The endless enrichment conveyor I2 consists of interconnected slats I3 moving in an orbital path between the shafts 8 and 9, around the sprockets I0 and Il, the upper section of this conveyor passing limmediately beneath the enrichment hopper 5. One of these conveyor assemblies is arranged beneath each enrichment hopper 5. The shaft 8 is arranged in bearing blocks I4, which are movable to and fro in rectangular slots |5, under the inuence of the screw shaft I8 and the hand wheel I1. By turning the hand wheel |1 the conveyor I2 may be made tighter or looser, as the particular working conditions demand. The driving arrangement for the enrichment conveyor |2 will be subsequently described.

Also mountedv upon the longitudinal frame members 3 and supported therebetween is the dough-laminating conveyor I8, supported at the right-hand end of the machine upon the roller I8 joumalled upon the longitudinalV frame members 3. The dough-laminating conveyor I8 is of the endless type, its upper section extending horizontally along the longitudinal frame members 3 from the right-hand to the left-hand ends thereof, the left-hand end being. supported by the roller 2|| (Figure '7), also journalled in and l between the longitudinal frame members 3. The

dough-laminating conveyor I8 is supported at intermediate points along its path by guide rollers 2| (Figure '1). At a point near its left-hand end (Figures 5 and 7) the dough-laminating conveyor |8 passes around rollers 22, 23, 24 and .meshes with a pinion 35 upon the roller shaft 28, and this in turn, meshes with a pinion v.118 mounted upon the roller shaft 29. By this means the dough-laminating conveyor I8 is positively driven from the shaft 21, the remaining driving connections of which will be subsequently described.

The top of the laminating section of the machine (Figure 4) is provided with a platform 40,

.which has apertures 4| leadinginto the dough hoppers 4 and vapertures 42 leading into the enrichment hoppers 5. The dough hoppers 4 consist of bins extending downwardly from the platform 45 and aperture 4|, and are provided with sloping walls 43 leading to a delivery aperture 44 at the bottom of each hopper (Figure '1). Secured to the opposite side walls of the dough hoppers 4 (Figure 7) are adjustable guide plates 45, pivotally mounted, as at 48, upon the'side walls. At the lower extremities of the sloping walls 43 are the roller shafts 41 and 48, these .being journalled in the bearing blocks 49 (Figmay be varied. This is accomplished by having the bearing block 48 horizontally movable within elongated apertures 51. 'Ihe bearing blocks 49 are urged to the left (Figure 3) by the coil springs 58, having their opposite ends resting against the angle members 59 secured to the channel members and the side plates 5I. On their opposite sides the bearing blocks 49 are engaged by -the screw shafts 88, threaded through the posts 8| mounted on the channel members 85 and the side .plates 5I) and carrying the sprockets 52, interconnected by the sprocket chain 83. l

One of the sprockets 82 is provided with a hand crank 84 by which both sprockets 82 and both sorew shafts v8|) may be simultaneously rotated. When this is done the bearing blocks,

49 and the hopper feed roller 55 are caused tcmove to and fro, thus causing the space between the hopper feed rollers 55 and 58 to bev members 85 (Figure 7) and the side plates 58.

The bearing blocks 4,9 serve to support scraper arms 88, to the outer ends of which are attached the scrapers 81, as by the cap screws 88 (Figure 7). The scrapers 81 serve to prevent dough from passing completely around the peripheries of the hopper feed rollers 55 and 58. 'Ihe roller shafts 41 and 48 on their outer ends carry worm gears 89 and 18 within the housings 1|`and 12 (Figures 5.and 3). Meshing with the worm gears 89 and 18 are the right-hand and left-hand worms 13 and 14, respectively. The worms 18 and 14 are mounted upon the hopper drive shaft 15, this being journalled in bearing brackets 18 secured to the frame uprights I and also to the end frame upright 11 (Figures l and 4). At its left-hand end the hopper drive shaft 15 is journalled in the bearing bracket 18 secured to the frame cross member 19, which in turn, is secured to the frame end upright 88 (Figures 1 and 4). Beyond the bearing bracket 18 the hopper drive shaft 15 is provided with a bevel gear 8|, which provides the driving connection therefor. The remainder of the driving connections will be subsequently described.

The enrichment hoppers 5 are in the form' oi' rectangular bins extending downwardly from the platform apertures 42 (Figures 4, 5 and 1), and are provided at one end with an outwardly flared side wall 9|). The bottom of eachv enrich'- menthopper 5 is open so as to discharge the contents of the hopper directly onto the upper surface of the enrichment conveyor I2. The quantity of enrichment materials deposited upon the enrichment conveyor I2 is regulated by the gate |6|. The latter meshes with the bevel gear 8| y 9|, having an arm 92 carrying a bearing 93, which rotatably receives the lower end of the screw shaft 94. The screw shaft 94 passes through a threaded bore 96 in the bracket portion 96 of the support'l 6. The screw shaft 94 at its upper end is provided with a hand Wheel 91, by the turning of which the gate 9| is raised or lowered, thus regulating the thickness of the enrichment layer deposited upon the conveyor I2.

Main driving mechanism The main driving mechanism (Figures 1, 2, 3

l y"and 4) is mounted upon the top of the left-hand end of the machine, as shown in Figure l. This left-hand end comprises a framework having vertical uprights interconnected by cross members |0|, and having the top members |02 serving to support the top cross members |03 (Figures 1 and 2). The top cross members |03 serve to support the main driving motor |04 and a pair of variable speed transmissions and |06. The motor |04 carries a pulley (Figure 2) |01, which drives a pulley |08 upon the variable speed transmission |05 b'y means of the belt |09. The pulley |08 is mounted upon a shaft ||0 which serves as the in-put shaft of the variable speed transmission |05, the out-put shaft of which carries the sprocket I2 (Figure 1), around which passes the sprocket chain ||3 forming a driving connection with the sprocket ||4 upon the in-put shaft ||5 of the variable speed transmission |06.

The in-put shaft ||5 on its opposite end carries the'sprocket ||6. The latter is drivingly interconnected with the sprocket ||1 by the sprocket chain I8. The hub of the sprocket ||1 is fxedly connected to the hub of the sprocket I9, but the whole is arranged to rotate loosely upon the output shaft of the variable speed transmission |06. The sprocket ||9 is interconnected with the sprocket |2| upon the in-put shaft |22 of the variable speed transmission |23 by means of the sprocket chain |24. The in-put shaft |22 likewise carries the sprocket |25 (Figures 2 and 4), which is interconnected with the sprocket |26 on the in-put shaft |21 of the enrichment conveyor variable speed transmission |28 through the sprocket chain |29 (Figure 2) This in-put shaft |21 at its opposite end carries a sprocket |30 interconnected with the sprocket |3| on the input shaft |32 of the enrichment conveyor variable speed transmission |33 by means of the sprocket chain |34. The out-put shafts |35 and |36 of the enrichment conveyor variable speed transmissions |28 and |33 a're provided with sprockets |31 and |38 (Figure 2), having sprocket chains |39 and |40 leading to the sprockets |4| and |42, mounted upon the drive shafts 9 of the two enrichment conveyors I2 (Figures 2, 5 and '1) In this manner the enrichment conveyors I2 are driven from the main driving motor |04, and their speeds are adjustably regulated individually as well as collectively through the different variable speed transmissions. The out-put shaft |43 of the variable speed transmission |23 (Figure 2) carries a sprocket |44 having a sprocket chain (|45 leading to the sprocket |46 upon the shaft 21, driving the dough conveyor I8 (Figures 2 and 5), in the manner previously described,

The out-put shaft |20 of the variable speed transmission |06 carries the sprocket |50, having the sprocket chain |5| meshing with the sprocket |52 mounted upon the shaft |53. The shaft |53 carrying the sprocket |52 is journalled in the bearing brackets |60, and carries the bevel pinion mountedrupon and driving the hopper drive shaft 15, in the manner previously described.

Consolidating rolls The dough-laminating conveyor |8 (Figure 7) discharges the sheet or strip of laminated dough into the space between the upper and lower consolidating rolls |10 and |1|, mounted upon the shafts |12 and |13, respectively. The roll shafts |12 and |13 (Figure 5) are journalled in the bearing blocks |14 and |15, respectively, these being arranged within the rectangular apertures |16 of the consolidating roll-supporting brackets |11. The latter are secured to the frame up-rights 80. The lower consolidating roll'bearing block |15 is fixed in position and rests upon the member |18, whereas the upper bearing block |14 is slidable within the aperture |16, this sliding being controlled by the screw shafts |19 secured thereto.

. The screw shafts |19 vfor the bearing blocks |14 at the opposite ends of the roll shaft |12 are inter` connected by bevel gearing (not shown) operated by the hand wheel |80 upon the shaft |8| rotatably mounted in the brackets |82 (Figure '1) upon the upper end o f the consolidating roll supportI bracket |11. By this mechanism the space between the consolidating rolls |10 and |1| may be accurately adjusted.

The consolidating rolls |10 and |1| are driven from the shaft |53 in the upper left-hand corner of Figures 5 and 7, the driving connections of this shaft |53 having been previously described. The shaft |53 carries a sprocket |83 (Figures 5 and 7), having the sprocket chain |84 driving the sprocket |85 mounted upon the end of the lower roll shaft |13. The opposite end of the shaft |13 (Figure 5) carries a sprocket |86, which has a sprocket chain lalcommunicating power to the sprocket |88 upon the roller shaft |89. 'Ihe latter is operative to drive the first dough'transfer conveyor, the construction of which is subsequently to be described.

Dough-transfer conveyor In the machine of our copending application, Serial No. 43,246, led October 2, 1935, of which this is a division, there are disclosed four doughtransfer conveyors the first of which is arranged immediately beyond the consolidating rolls |10 and |1|. The first dough-transfer conveyor |95 (Figure 7) consists of a belt, similar to the doughlaminating conveyor |8 and similarly supported upon the opposite end rolls |96 and |91, respectively, (Figures 7 and 8). The upper end roll |91 is journalled in the bearing blocks |98, slidably mounted in the rectangular apertures |99 of the dough-transfer conveyor framework 200. The bearing blocks |98 may be moved to and fro to tighten or loosen the dough-transfer conveyor |95 by turning the screw shafts 20| secured to the bearing blocks |98. The dough-transfer conveyor |95, during the upper part of its travel, rests upon the bed plate 202, which in turn, is supported by the framework 200. The dough-transfer con- 2|3 upon the shaft 2|4, and the latter meshes with a pinion 2I5 upon the end of the roller shaft 2IU. The pinion 2|5 meshes With a pinion 2I6 mounted upon the roller shaft |89, the latter being driven by the sprocket |88 from the sprocket chain |81, in the manner previously described.

Operation self upon the dough-laminating conveyor I8. The," dough from the right-hand hopper 4, in Figure 11,1

moves along this conveyor until it comes beneath' the leftehand end of the right-hand enrichment conveyor I2, which deposits its charge of enrichment materials upon the sheet of dough coming from the rst dough hopper 4.

The dough sheet with its layer of enrichment thereon then passes beneath the middle dough hopper 4, where a second sheet of dough is superimposed thereon, covering the enrichment layer. The compound dough sheet thus formed continues to move on the conveyor I8 beneath the left-hand enrichment conveyor I2 until it arrives at a point beneath the left-hand end thereof, where the second layer of enrichment is-deposited thereon. Moving onward, the compound dough sheet, now composed of two layers of dough and two'layers of enrichment, moves beneath the third dough hopper 4, where a third dough layer is superimposed upon the second enrichment layer; The whole lsheet then passes beneath the consolidating rolls |10 and I'II, which press the layers together evenly. The upper roll |10 is mitred at its ends, and presses down the edges iirst dough-transfer conveyor |95, upon which it moves upwardly to the succeeding apparatus. We desire to comprehend within our invention such modifications as may be embraced within our claims and the scope of our invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A dough-preparing machine comprising a pair of 'dough holders, an enrichment material holder arranged therebetween, a main conveyor arranged beneath said dough holders to receive the dough coming therefrom, an auxiliary conveyor associated with said enrichment material holder, one of said dough holders being arranged to deposit a layer of dough upon the main conveyor, said auxiliary conveyor being arranged subsequently to deposit a layer of enrichment material from said enrichment material holder upon said VClough layer and the other dough holder being arranged thereafter to deposit a second layer of dough upon said enrichment material layer, and means for imparting a substantially constant thickness to the thus laminated dough.

2. A dough-preparing machine comprising a pair of dough holders, an enrichment material holder arranged therebetween, a main conveyor arranged beneath said dough holders to receive the dough coming therefrom, an auxiliary conveyor associated with said lenrichment material holder, one of said dough holders being arranged to deposit a layer of dough upon the main conveyor, said auxiliary Iconveyor being arranged subsequently to deposit a layer of enrichment material from said enrichment material holder upon said dough layer and the other dough holder being arranged thereafter to deposit a second layer of dough upon said enrichment material layer, means for imparting a substantially constant thickness to the thus laminated dough, and means associated with said enrichment material holder and said auxiliary conveyor for regulating the thickness of the layer ofenrichment mate- 'rial deposited upon said auxiliary conveyor.

3. A dough-preparing machine comprising a pair of dough holders, an enrichment material holder, a main conveyor, one of said dough holders being arranged to deposit a layer of dough upon said main conveyor to form a substantially continuous sheet, mechanism foractuating said main conveyor adapted to move the dough layers, and an auxiliary conveyor positioned beneath said enrichment material holder and arranged to deposit a layer of enrichment material upon the moving layer of dough on said main conveyor, the other dough holder being arranged to deposit a second layer of dough upon said eprichment material layer.

4.- A dough-preparing machine comprising a pair of dough holders, an enrichment material holder, a main conveyor, one of said dough holders being arranged to deposit a layer of dough upon said main conveyor to form a substantially continuous sheet, mechanism for actuating said main onveyor adapted to move the dough layers, an auxiliary conveyor positioned beneath said enrichment material holder and arranged to deposit a layer of enrichment material upon the moving layer of dough on said main conveyor, said auxiliary conveyor moving in a direction parallel with said main conveyor, the other dough holder being arranged to deposit a second layer 55 of dough upon said enrichment material layer. 

